Fresh Eyes

I have been contemplating something lately that was reinforced at church today. There are many passages of scripture that are familiar to us. Certain stories, like David and Goliath, Baby Moses in the basket, Jesus turning water into wine, the Rich Young Ruler. We know many by heart, and some have become, sadly, nothing more than children's stories. We are in danger of complacency! We need to see the Bible in a new light, asking the Holy Spirit to give us fresh eyes to see new truth in the familiar words.

One passage i've been thinking about this week is 1 Corinthians 13- the LOVE chapter.

Many people know this as the wedding chapter. Verses that teach us how to treat our spouse, to gain some understanding of how to keep our marriage intact and healthy and growing. I was reading it this week and with "fresh eyes" saw that this is not even a passage meant for the newly wedded couple. It is for the church! It comes after a chapter where Paul is telling the church how important each member is, each with its own part to play, each with their own gifts to serve with. And after talking about how we all fit together as a piece of the puzzle and are so important in our roles, Paul talks about LOVE. He's just finished explaining many of the gifts, and now he is explaining how to USE them.

"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing."

1Cor.13:1-3

We can't function as a healthy church body without love. We cannot follow the call of God on our lives and choose to skip out on loving people. It won't work!

Do these words describe the Church??

Patient.

Kind.

Not proud or rude.

Not irritable.

Keeps no record of wrong.

Rejoices in truth.

Never gives up.

Never loses faith.

Is always hopeful.

Endures through every circumstance.

(taken from 1Cor. 13:4-7)
The church is a reflection of Christ. We need to be aware that no matter what we do,we are portraying an image.

Paul was telling us how we can live together, growing in Christ, building each other up, and bringing in new believers! What messages are we sending out to those around us? How much are we allowing Christ to renew us, that we might change this world for Him?

"Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete , but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.

Three things will last forever- faith, hope, and love- and the greatest of these is love."

1Cor.13:12-13

Loving people, beyond sight and circumstance. Loving others more than we love ourselves. Just think what we could achieve?

One day at a time,

Darcie.

YAY God!!

Well, the deadline is 2 days away, and we now have ... fifty dollars MORE than we need!!!!!!!!

Praise you Lord!! :D Thank you for your provision and for people who listen to your voice.

I love being fully convinced!

now onto airfare.....

one day at a time,

Darcie.

Fully Convinced

"[Abraham] did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform."

Romans 4:20-21

I cannot get these verses out of my head! There is such a profound truth here, that it bears stopping for a look.

I think that when we are waiting on God for something, the longer the wait, the tendency is to become weary in faith, discouraged, wanting to give up. But here's the thing: He's either God, or he's not. He's either going to do what he said, or he won't. Are you FULLY CONVINCED?? Are you convinced that He is able to do what He promised??

I had a realization this week: God is only incapable because I make Him so. In my finite mind, i determine what God can/can't do, what He is/isn't capable of. I box Him up into what i can imagine, and leave my expectations there. And I believe that I limit God in my unbelief! How much more would He do if we were FULLY CONVINCED??

We wonder why our lives are so different spiritually than those in Bible times. Where are our signs and wonders? Where are our miracles? I think that those people were fully convinced. They knew even by saying, "the sky's the limit", they were limiting God! He is not bound by human thought. We cannot even comprehend the word LIMITLESS. Just think about that word for a moment.

And yet, He IS! He is the Great I AM. Limitless. Incomprehensible.

There is no reason to waver, falter, or fade. Simply believe- be fully convinced- that God is who He says he is. And with that little mustard seed of faith, He can move mountains!

Ukraine update: at this point we have just about half of what we need to pay by wednesday. In 3 days we need to pay for the on-the-ground expenses of our trip, after getting a 3 week extention. We are believing!! Then it's time to save for the airfare....

I am FULLY CONVINCED!

One day at a time,

Darcie.

answered prayer..

Answered prayer!! :D We were supposed to have paid $675 each as partial payment for our trip to Ukraine by LAST friday. At this point, we have next to no money for the trip. Today we found out that our deadline has been extended to the 15th of September! Thank you Lord! We are trusting you, waiting to see what's up your sleeve!

Now faith it the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.

Heb. 11:1

Hebrews talks about the "great cloud of witnesses" that have gone before us, people of great faith. Noah, Joseph, Moses, Abraham, Jacob, the list goes on. Hebrews 12: 1 says that since they surround us, we can "lay aside every weight", looking to Jesus so we don't become "weary and discouraged in our souls" (v.3) Their recorded victories become a source for our strength! I'm sure when they were going through all of their hardships they weren't thinking of how it would help us, but God was! :D

Today, my goal is to be like Abraham:

"He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He has promised He was also able to perform."

Rom. 4:20-21

We have HOPE!!!

"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Rom. 5:5

Jesus is our living hope, we have no reason to doubt. He will not disappoint! 1Thess. 5:24 says, "He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it."

"Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments."

Deut. 7:9

HE is God, faithful, living hope.

Who better in whom to trust??

one day at a time,

Darcie.